Attorney General Ashley Moody Warns of Cyber Monday Scams
TALLAHASSEE (FLV) – Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody issued tips for consumers to avoid scams when online shopping for Cyber Monday deals.
Traditionally, Cyber Monday is one of the most popular online shopping days of the year, with consumers spending more than $10 billion on last year’s Cyber Monday.
“There is a chance that scammers may attempt to exploit unsuspecting shopper,” Moody’s office said.
“With tens of millions expected to shop online this Cyber Monday, I want to urge caution. Scammers may try to take advantage of the increase in online shopping to steal money or financial information through various cybercrimes and schemes. To help protect Floridians, I am issuing consumer protection tips for secure online shopping,” Moody said.
The attorney general listed the following tips to follow for safe online shopping:
- Double check the legitimacy of an online store by researching the store’s name and the sought-after product;
- Ensure a secure connection to a web browser before submitting payment information while ordering online. A padlock should appear in the address bar if the session is secure;
- Use credit cards, when possible, for better protection from fraud;
- Know that some debit and credit card providers offer one-time card numbers to be used for online transactions for further protection. Information on whether a particular card company offers this service is located on the company’s website;
- Refrain from clicking on links with deals that seem too good to be true; and
- Avoid using public Wi-Fi when submitting personal or financial information.
For Moody’s 2022 Holiday Consumer Protection Guide, read here.
For the attorney general’s Scams at a Glance guide, read here. Spanish version available here.
